


Dreams Based In Reality

by CreepypastaHound



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blind Character, Brotherhood, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Ravus is mentioned, Team as Family, Tears, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-12-21 15:30:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11947194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreepypastaHound/pseuds/CreepypastaHound
Summary: [Spoiler if you haven't seen both of Ignis's Episode sneak peeks]While camping, Ignis wakes from a reoccurring nightmare. His friends worried about him are determined to get to the bottom of it.





	Dreams Based In Reality

The land was dark. It wasn't that normal kind of dark either, not the kind you'd expect to find walking into a room without lights or the kind you would see when you close your eyes. No this dark was a whole new level of darkness. The kind where you could lift your hand up holding it inches from your face and you still couldn't see the appendage. You could turn on whatever light source you have on your persons and it still wouldn't allow you to see what was in front of you. This darkness was almost tangible, alive even. It was like peering into a void.

At least that's what it looks like to Ignis. 

Ignis stands in the heart of the city his voice raised over the pounding rain carrying and reaching the ears of the frightened citizens of Altissia as he directs them to safety, herding them like they were the cattle and he was the cow dog nipping at their hooves. 

The townsfolk scream at one another as they push and shove their way trying to reach safety of the designated location that Ignis, Gladiolus, Prompto, Noctis, Camilla, and the police deemed safe. 

Their shouts continue as a fist fight breaks out. Ignis, seeing the act as childish and a waste of precious energy steps in. The figures of the Altissians who were as visible as if the sun had been out were now silver silhouettes, almost resembling apparitions. They continue to push and shove screaming at each other even as Ignis puts himself in the middle of the fight his arms outstretched on either side of himself keeping the two  _ghosts_ away from each other. Opening his mouth Ignis tries to settle the fight, his voice a soft weak whisper as he lectures the two on maturity and how there are more pressing matters at hand.

The odd sound of his voice going unnoticed by the polymath as his attention is sent to the ground. The cobblestone under foot was vibrating sending tremors through the ground and up to the buildings causing them to tremble and sway violently like a giant Jenga tower with too many of its blocks removed. 

The voices around Ignis were silent, unable to move a single inch Ignis was helpless as he watched the buildings collapse before him. The grounds shake once more this time sending large broken fragments of the floor upward making the area appear to have been struck by an earthquake.

The ground shakes violently once more the incredible tremors for the third time fail to topple Ignis. The tremors this time reach the sky causing white cracks streak across the black surface like lightening racing across a stormy sky.

The sound of glass cracking and shattering rings out as the blackness explodes and rains down onto the land below in the form of water. Thunder roars loudly and lightening lights up the sky, the down pour of rain that was trapped behind the wall coming down full force soaking Ignis instantly.

Becoming painfully aware of the lack of voices Ignis tries his luck with moving. He turns his head to the left relief fills him when he finds that he can move, however in doing so he finds that the citizens he was to to be helping had become Magitek Troopers and Imperial Soliders. Each one of those irritating machines lay motionless around him scattered about like discarded broken toys. 

Ignis looks around exhaustion suddenly over taking his body as if he hasn't rest for several weeks and had taken on the army. Dropping to his knees Ignis pants his voice much louder now, so much so he feared he'd give himself a headache just by listening to his heavy breathing.

That's when he felt it cold hands on his neck, arms, face, and legs. A heavy uncomfortable pressure was applied to his back and he soon finds himself unable to move, unable to breathe, and unable to speak. Ears ringing Ignis tries to move but it feels like more hands grab him and hold him down with each struggle he gives. 

The sound of metal clicking against stone reaches Ignis's ears. Looking around the best he could with little movement he had for his head. 

Nothing.

He saw nothing.

He saw the vast land that had been wasted but the one causing the sound of a heavy metal suit walking wasn't there. Shifting his eyes he strained to see what was above him as he hears the clicking of a gun, perhaps it was Prompto maybe the energetic blonde had come to help him. 

He tries to move but the weight of whomever was pinning him down increases causing him to gasp. Air refused to inflate Ignis's lungs as he desperately gasps for the much needed oxygen, he was starting to panic and it was making him lightheaded. He tries to steal a glance at who was pinning him down by turning his attention to the ground hoping to see a shadow of his assailant.

There was no shadow on the ground. He was laying here paralyzed with phantom beings holding him down and crushing him under their weight.

Ignis tries to move again hoping that he could wiggle his way out from underneath the invisible being. But like before the weight on his back grew and was starting to hear a soft creaking, the same one heard uttered by old floorboards under foot. 

Was that his spine? Was his spine going to snap under this ghost? 

"Aww look at you, like a rat with it's head caught in a trap that has failed to snap."

Ignis heard his voice before he saw him, the deep rumble of Ardyn's voice reach his ears causing him to strain his eyes to steal a glance of the man who has caused his friends so much pain. 

Ignis opens his mouth his jaw working and lips moving but no sound came out. "I wonder...how does it feel..." Ardyn steps closer and kneels down in front of Ignis, his face contorted into a sickening grin as his features begin change. Ardyn's eyes are rimmed black with black tears running down his cheeks, his eyes turn gold, and black markings appear around his mouth as more black streaks run down his chin. The new appearance of the Chancellor shakes Ignis, causing him to tense up "to have your eyes bulge out of your head as your neck snaps." He laughs caressing Ignis's cheek making the younger male close his eyes as a silent whimper escapes him. Ardyn chuckles as he applies more pressure to Ignis's neck. Holding that position he sighs "But where's the fun in killing you? The hunt and thrill gone in a flash." Ardyn says letting go of Ignis, who feels a few tears running down his face and drip from the tip of his nose, hoping that the rain would mask his distress for he didn't want Ardyn to have the satisfaction of knowing he had Ignis on edge.

"Oh no now don't do that, you would break the hearts of many if they saw you crying." Ardyn teases. Lifting Ignis's head he grabs both sides of his face and puts his thumbs over the lens of Ignis's glasses "But permanently wounding you...now that will leave me feeling very satisfied." 

With that Ardyn presses his thumbs onto the eyewear with such force it causes the glass to crack and then bursts sending the shards into Ignis's eyes. The sensation was stomach churning and Ignis, finally, was able to scream. He tried moving, tried wiggling, but he couldn't move as if the whatever it was holding him down had laid on him.

Laughing Ardyn continues to push his fingers into Ignis's skull, blood runs from Ignis's eyes as his screams worsen.

"Now Ignis...be prepared to see the world I have been trapped in for centuries...its a dark and lonely place." 

Ardyn removes his hands from the younger male's face in his palms were two white squashed orbs. Ignis on the other hand was now sitting up and holding his face, shaking, he turns around facing Ardyn.

His eyeballs were gone but a twisted smile played on his lips as the starscourge appears on his face in the form of a large scar on the left side of his face.

Ardyn turns around his hands up "My brothers and sisters welcome our newest brother!"

"Ignis!"

"Ignis!"

"Ignis!"

The shouts of Ignis's name are accompanied by the young man being shaken roughly.

"Ignis!"

"Ignis!"

"Ig-"

 

Ignis wakes with a jolt as he opens his eyes blinking trying to fully wake from his nightmare. Yet he sees nothing, as if he didn't open his eyes at all.

_Why can't I see? A-Are my eyes really gone?_

Ignis knows the thoughts are childish but he couldn't help it especially after the dream. He hears his name called but he doesn't react to right away as he touches his eyes feeling them, trying to reassure himself that they hadn't been plucked out of his head like berries from a bush.

Ignis jumps and a gasp escapes his lips when he feels a cold hand touch his arm and a scream nearly rips from his throat. However that doesn't stop him from flailing, he was seconds away from summoning his daggers when he feels hands on both of his biceps pinning him down. Struggling Ignis cries out begging for whomever it was holding him to let him go. His breathing was quickening and he could feel himself starting to shake as tears prick the corners of his eyes. 

It takes him a moment to register that he was being called and once he did he wasn't sure if he should be overcome with relief or upset "Ignis calm down." Noctis's voice reaches his ears seemingly successful in calming the older man down as Ignis has his eyes locked on the roof of the tent. His heart pounding like a jackhammer in his chest as he tries to swallow down the growing lump in his throat "Iggy, its going to be okay. Breathe. Breathe." This time the voice that reached him was Gladiolus's he must've woke him up when he screamed. 

"Here, sit up." Ignis hears Gladiolus say as he helps him into a sitting position. Ignis, once sitting up lowers his head into his hands and the trembles that rack his body turn to full on shaking as he prays that his friends can't see the fear radiating off of him. His breathing was coming out as strangled gasps as if he was struggling to keep his head above water.

"Come on Iggy, deep breaths." Gladiolus calls from somewhere on his left as his hand rubs his scarred back, the events of Altissia having made sure to remind Ignis of that day as his face wasn't the only thing marked. His back baring three long jagged scars resembling the one on Gladiolus's chest. Ignis's own chest baring burns like the one on his face leaving it tender to the touch, his body still aches despite it happening several weeks ago and the medicine he takes does very little to ease his pain.

Ignis's breathing eventually evens out leaving him breathing heavy as his breath is heard audibly throughout the tent. "There you go. Deep breaths." Gladiolus says helping Ignis though his panic attack as Noctis turns on the lantern adding some form of orange glow to Ignis's dark world. 

"Feeling better?" Noctis asks seeing Ignis visibly relax however the blind man doesn't react to the question as he simply sits there. "Was it _that_ nightmare again?" Prompto asks who was sitting in the tents entrance who had gone to fetch Ignis a wash cloth which he dipped in water to help Ignis cool off. Ignis presses his lips into a thin line as he draws his legs to his chest where he lowers his head on his knees as his arms wraps around his legs. As Prompto hands Noctis the washcloth who takes it "Iggy, Prompto brought you a towel to help cool you down." Noctis says gently as he places the cloth on Ignis's neck causing the older male to jump and shudder.

Noctis, Gladiolus, and Prompto sit quietly looking at one another and then to Ignis who started take in shallow breaths. His belly was churning violently leaving Ignis's to feel nauseous, he couldn't see it but the way he felt himself slightly swaying, his body was screaming at him that he was having a dizzy spell. 

"Lay back down Ignis." Noctis suggests gently pulling on his arm attempting to get the other to go back to sleep. Ignis wanted to go back to sleep, but the fear the nightmare will come back and play out all over again was a very real possibility. Not to mention he couldn't sleep on his belly, which was his favorite position, without having a panic attack. 

Noctis tugs once more his grip on Ignis's arm a bit tighter causing the older male to wince under the touch "Noct, I don't think Iggy likes that." Prompto says noticing the look of discomfort on the older male's face prompting Noctis to apologize and lower his hand.

"Look Ignis, it might help if you talked about what you dreamt...I mean...we want to help you." Noctis says softly trying to get his advisor to open up. Yet Ignis only huddled further onto himself and after a brief moment of silence he finally speaks "It doesn't matter...not when the nightmare is about events that had already happen...speaking about it will do nothing to help me." Ignis murmurs his voice quaking. 

"Well you don't really know that." Prompto states gently as he places a hand on Ignis's own hand. "You think I don't my own mind!? I know full well-" Ignis feels tears gathering in his eyes as his breath chokes him off causing him to turn his head in the direction that he thinks the others aren't sitting. Ignis blinks swallowing "Look it's obviously bothering you...something clearly happen to you that you won't talk about." Gladiolus says trying to sound gentle. He was growing angry for he was worried about Ignis and the younger male was being stubborn. 

Ignis digs his fingernails into his arms sinking them deeper into his skin to the point that his arms begin to bleed prompting Prompto to knock his hands away gently "Iggy, please don't hurt yourself. Just tell us what happen that night we day whatever." Prompto says softly "I told you I wish not to talk about it." Ignis snaps bitterly "Well you may not want to but we do!" Noctis states a bit firmly.

"I don't!" Growls Ignis.

"Well we do!" Noctis fires back.

"And I said I wish not to speak of the topic!" 

Noctis glares "Why? Is it because that's where you went blind?"

Ignis didn't respond.

"Is it because Altissia wasn't supposed to go the way it went?"

No response.

"Ignis come on, just tell us. This stubbornness isn't going to help you." Prompto says gently.

Ignis again didn't say anything.

Having enough of the one sided conversation Gladiolus shakes his head "Why won't you just talk about it!" Shouts Gladiolus getting in Ignis's face, his roaring voice causes the younger male to swivel his head in the direction of his friends voice, his chest hurting as it pulses with sorrow. Their constant pressing and prying having finally broke him.

"Because I was scared!" Ignis shouts his voice breaks and he is left shaking "I was so scared! I-I was outnumbered, and I had no one there to help me." Ignis says through a sob, his broken expression was full of hurt and in his milky green eyes the others could see what they could only assume was betrayal.

"I had always been there for you three...I never hesitated...but...." Ignis stops for he was unable to finish the sentence.

Noctis looks at his advisor with a sad expression "But Gladio said he saw Ravus fighting along side you, he even said that he saw him carry you to those field hospitals." Ignis shook his head "It wasn't the same! I didn't feel as strong and confident as I did when I had fought alongside you three." Ignis adds as tears roll down his cheeks.

Gladiolus looks at Noctis shaking his head "Who cares about Prince Charmless, you did just hear Ignis say that he felt betrayed, right?" Gladiolus turns to Ignis "You know that we would never leave you behind. You know that if we weren't tied up with the evacuation and trying to weaken the Leviathan to help Noct we would've been right there. Don't forgot that _you_ even said you had it." 

Ignis hangs his head as he starts to weep, he thought talking about it was supposed to help. It only succeeded in making him feel worse, he doesn't enjoy feeling vulnerable nor does he enjoy being put on the spot like this. Why was Gladiolus lecturing him? Who does he think he is talking to him like that." 

Gritting his teeth Ignis narrows his  _good_ eye "I thought I could handle it! At the time it was nothing more than a handful of Imperials... nothing I couldn't handle...but they kept coming." Ignis sniffs as stops talking suddenly and his eyes widen. In his mind he could see the flames surrounding him and the machines, blocking the exits. He could feel the heat from the flames and the sticky sweat pooling on his back, chest, neck, underarm, and forehead. The sound of metal clicking against metal and metal against stone making his ears ring. 

He could see the soldiers stepping closer as he grips his daggers. Their guns trained on him-

"Ignis, it's okay breathe." 

_Prompto?_

Ignis didn't realize it but he was shaking. He must've been rambling and reacting to what his mind was showing him for the blonde was gently rubbing his back telling him he's safe trying to calm him down.

"Breathe Iggy."

_Breathe?_

"You're safe, remember you're in the tent...we're at the Lambath Haven."

_Lambath...H-Haven?_

"You remember, right, how we had to kill the behemoth earlier this afternoon. We had made you your favorite Kenny dish." 

_It tasted horrible, I doubt you followed the recipe._

"It's okay. It's alright." Prompto says softly still rubbing Ignis's back and neck.

Just listening to him speak was enough to soothe Ignis, he was about to say something more of the event when Prompto pulls him in for a hug, the small action was enough to make tears reappear in Ignis's eyes as he buries his face into Prompto's shoulder.

Rubbing his back and uttering comforting words Prompto began to talk down Ignis's episode he was having. Noctis and Gladiolus watch as Ignis visibly relaxes causing them to breathe a sigh of relief. Ever since that day Ignis has constantly had nightmares and panic attacks. The nurse that had taken care of him warned then he may experience and relive traumatic events, based off what she seen with him. And despite this having happen several times already it never ceased to amaze Noctis how Prompto was the one that could always calm Ignis down.

"How'd you do that? Ya'know, how'd you know what to say to calm him down?" Noctis asks curiously. If he could figure out how to calm down Ignis even just a little bit he would utterly grateful. He hates that Ignis was quote unquote by himself but what he hated more was that Ignis felt scared. And Noctis knows for a fact that Ignis hates that feeling, he hates admitting that he was scared, heck he even hates the idea of feeling fear. 

And for all Noctis knows Ignis was still feeling scared. To be suddenly deprived of something that you had your whole life it has to frightening. He knows Ignis won't admit to it.

Prompto chuckles lightly "Dude you forgetting something, I'm usually the one to have anxiety attacks. So like, I'm and expert at this...not to mention my parents would do this for me when I had the attacks around them." He says softly "And when we started the road trip, it was Iggy who helped calm me down." A small pause which is replaced with the sounds of Ignis crying "Iggy is basically having a anxiety attack...he just needs to calm down, relax, and know that he is safe here with us. That nothing bad is going to happen to him." Prompto explains as he feels Ignis move against his shoulder as he sobs softly into the gunmen. 

Noctis looks over to Ignis and nods scooting closer he gently lays a hand on Ignis's head and with a deep breath he looks at Ignis "Its going to be alright Iggy. You're okay." He says gently hoping that what he said would be reassuring to the slightly older male. Gladiolus was hesitant at first, he wanted to reassure the younger man but at the same time he wasn't sure how to about doing it. These weren't random nightmares where he could say 'Its not real, the monsters can't hurt you.' Because the monsters are real and they did hurt him, bad. 

But he also couldn't just sit there watching as one of the strongest men he knows shed tears. He wanted to say something, do something, be something for Ignis like he was for him back when he had protected Noctis from the creep who slashed his face. Ironically they both bare scars in their left sides, however Gladiolus was lucky, he could still out of his eye. While Ignis was not.

Gladiolus shakes his head recalling how Ignis fretted over him all the while during his hospital stay bringing various herbs and medicine to save his eye for he felt the doctors were doing more harm than good.

Yet, when Ignis was down and out in the hospital he wasn't sure to sure where to even begin with medicines. The outrageous names didn't help nor did the fact that the bottles failed to mention what they did. Potions did little to nothing only healing the large burn.

Guilt creeps into Gladiolus' heart as he moves towards the younger party members. Sitting this close he has a good view of Ignis and his tears making him think back to two separate events.

_Gladiolus was sitting quietly in the small ward which the surgeons had left Ignis. Ignis had been taken into surgery due to the severity of the burn on his face and the deep lacerations to his head, nose, and lips._

_Now, the younger male lays in the bed with bandages wrapped around his eyes, bandages on his arms. As a series of small clear tubes run from an IV to his arm, one appearing from somewhere beneath the blankets going down to the side of the bed with a bag attached, and the last one which tore at the big man's heart was the set of tubes which were stuck in Ignis's nose and down his throat. The two wire despite looking separate were attached and connected to a ventilator. The doctor mentioned something about him having inhaled to much smoke or something like that._

_Ever since coming out of surgery Ignis hadn't woken up. It had been a week so far and Gladiolus was worried. He was afraid of losing Ignis because unlike Noctis who is probably doing some magical healing thing an if not that then Lunafreya's spirit is healing him, Ignis could only rely on potions and common medicine._

_He was told by the doctors who treated the pyromancer that Ignis had a fifty-fifty chance of seeing but they couldn't be sure not until they took off the bandages._

_It was late in the night, Gladiolus was dozing when he heard a pained noise sounding almost like a gurgle. The doctors had removed the double tube switching it for one that only sat in Ignis's nose. Looking up Gladiolus could see Ignis shifting as his hands sloppily reach the bandages around his head. "Hey don't take them off yet." He says softly catching Ignis's hands._

_"Gladio?"_

_Ignis's voice was scratchy and rough making it sound like he was hoarse. "Where am I? Why does everything hurt?" He asks weakly causing Gladiolus to swallow nervously "You're in the hospital." A brief pause "You had been hurt really bad Iggy." Gladiolus explains._

_"I was?" Ignis asks sounding out of if, he was still incredibly tired and the anesthesia in his system wasn't helping "Why can't I take this off?" He asks attempting once again to remove the bandage "They doctor says to leave them." He explains "To keep your eyes clean. Your eyes are hurt pretty bad."  Ignis turns his head in the direction of Gladiolus's voice "What happen to them?"_

_"I don't know Iggy. But it's going to be okay."_

_The following days that passed leading to Ignis becoming more aware of the pain he felt he found that it was unbearable, he screams and cries out begging for it to end. But the doctors did what they could for the pain but it was little to help, for Ignis saw and felt no relief despite their best efforts to help._

_That night, after a shot of a slightly stronger dose of morphine, which numbs the pain drastically for a few minutes just long enough for Ignis to be able to fall asleep, Ignis lays in the bed. The bandages still in place as he starts to shake "Are you cold?" Gladiolus asks softly but Ignis shakes his head. Instead he turns his head towards the sound of his friends voice "Gladio..." Ignis sound sounded weird. His voice was trembling and he didn't sound super confident._

_"What's up Iggy?"_

_Ignis sniffs which is followed by a shaky intake of breath before he continues "Do you think I will be able to see once the bandages come off?" He asks timidly reminding Gladiolus of a child who is asking about a scary villain from a movie they just seen. But the question he knows it's something that has been bothering Ignis for a while. Gladiolus had been told many times to expect permanent vision loss but part of him couldn't tell Ignis that. He knows that despite the outward demeanor that Ignis gives off of nothing bothering him he knows that the very real possibility of him being blind was scary. He had always counted on his eyes, like many others, but for Ignis it was thousands of times more important. For he needed to be also to be Noctis's eyes and ears along long with brain when it came important duties._

_"Do you think I will be okay?" Ignis whimpers as a lone tear escapes his right eye. The sight actually stumped Gladiolus, he never seen Ignis cry not even as kids. The idea of Ignis crying like trying to convince him the sky was falling._

_A small sniffle snaps him back to reality and Gladiolus does something that his older brother instincts tell him to do, he lies to Ignis...sort of._

_"Yeah, you're going to be okay. Once these bandages are off you'll be back with us and you're going to okay." Gladiolus says softly as he pulls the blankets up to Ignis's chest "Now get some sleep before the medicine wears off." He says softly hating that he lied to him._

The second time being they day they took the bandages off....

_Ignis was sitting up in the bed his hands were shaking violently on his lap as he tries to control his breathing. Sitting at his bedside was Gladiolus, he had told Prompto to go back to the manor where Noctis laid still unconscious. Prompto was reluctant but did nothing in protest wishing Ignis the best of luck for his eyes._

_"You feeling okay?" Gladiolus asks a small smirk on his lips Ignis swallows his nerves were on one hundred as butterflies did flips in his stomach "Feeling a bit bilious but it's to be expected." Ignis says placing a hand to his belly._

_"Yeah, but know that whatever the outcome is...we won't feel any different towards you nor would we treat you any different."_

_"Wouldn't expect you to."_

_With that said a man walks into the room. His outward appearance having spooked Gladiolus off for he didn't really look like a doctor at all, with his slouched stance and disheveled black hair. The closer he got Gladiolus noticed that he had serious dark circles under his eyes. If it wasn't for the doctors garb he would've assumed he was a patient._

_"Your Scientia, I presume...hmm what an odd last name." The doctor says plucking the clipboard from the tray on they door "Says here you suffered lacerations to the face, along with a burn...there's even cuts on your back and burns to your chest...interesting. Might I ask, what in the love of Eos were you doing?"_

_Ignis tried to steady his voice but it only came out even more shaky "I-I was assisting in the e-evacuation of Atissia...when this went awry."_

_The doctor nods as he turns to Gladiolus "Hey there, help me take off his gown." He says pointing the sea green material on Ignis. Gladiolus nods as he explains to Ignis what he was doing._

_Bare-chest and feeling extremely exposed Ignis shudders as the black haired man's cold hands touch his skin "Does it hurt when I do this?" He asks prodding the long jagged scars on his back and Ignis shakes his head, the doctor moves to his chest poking there earning a small whimper from Ignis "Hmm sorry. Okay you're chest is still tender...now for the real test."_

_The doctor moves to the bandage around Ignis's eyes and as he slowly unravels the bandage Ignis feels his heart racing and pounding in his chest. Once the last of the bandage fell Ignis surprisingly found himself not wanting to open his eyes._

_"Oh man Iggy...your face." Gladiolus says sounding shaken, hearing his tone causes Ignis's anxiety to worsen churning his stomach as he swallows "I-Is it bad?" Ignis asks._

_"It looks like someone took a cheese grater to your face." Gladiolus said before considering how bad that sounded and Ignis's expression falls making Gladiolus quickly regretting what he said "I mean...it's not that..."_

_The doctor stares blankly at Gladiolus turning his head to Ignis "It just looks bad since the wound is still healing, the redness will fade eventually. The important question is if you can still see." The doctor stands directly in front of Ignis and gently turns his head upwards "Okay...tell me if you can feel this." He says running a finger over Ignis's face he could feel everything except when he ran his finger over his left side. Ignis felt nothing._

_"I didn't feel that." Ignis admits causing the doctor to nod "Nerve damage...but it must only be on the surface...seeing how you can still feel pain flaring up." He sighs a bit "All right...open your eyes."_

_Ignis does as he is told, however he is only able to open one eye the other is permanently shut, at least it feels that way. "Okay...what do you see?" The disheveled doctor asks. Ignis blinks his eye as a puzzled expression forms on his face "I-I can't see anything." Ignis feels his heart racing and his breathing begins to quicken._

_"I-I can't see! I can't see!"_

_Ignis, now shaking places his hands on his face, his fingers tracing over his eyes. Yet his left hand ghosts over the semi rough burn on his face the touch reminding him of raw ground meat if sand were to be mixed in it. It disgusted him, but it mostly frightened him. The appearance of the scar was unknown and he feared it took up most of face making him look like some comic book villain._

_"The burns and scarring are most likely chemical burns seeing how it's playing out." The doctor explains as he gets a closer look into Ignis's eyes. Releasing Ignis's head the doctor proceeds to scratch his chest "I'm not going to sugar coat this. You're blind and you're not going to get your sight."_

_Ignis visibly flinched and his throat tightens "Those burns. The chemical that caused them burned right through your retinas...if your eyes are still causing you pain I can prescribe you some medicine. Other than that...sorry for you loss...of sight." The doctor nods and leaves the two of them alone._

_Once the door closes, Ignis lets out a trembling breath. Picking up on the change in mood Gladiolus steps up towards Ignis a hand gently placed on his friends shoulder "Hey. Lemme see your eye." Gladiolus says gently and Ignis reluctantly turns his head in the direction of his voice. Gladiolus could see that the whites of his eyes had a slight yellow twinge, and his once brilliant green eye irises now a milky dull bluish green. Gladiolus barely touches the scar not wanting to hurt Ignis anymore than he was already hurting._

_"Its-Its-It's going to get better right?" Gladiolus stammers looking Ignis over, however his question only causes Ignis to tremble his lips pressed in a thin line as his eyebrow turns upwards. His ears turn red along with his nose and cheeks the sight of Ignis tears at Gladiolus's heart._

_Ignis opens his mouth to say something but instead a deep sob escapes him, followed by another and another. Ignis was distraught and the only way he could think to express his hurt was through tears._

_Gladiolus watches at first really trying to take in the sight before him. Here was Ignis, his hair down dressed in a plain shirt and pants while his gloves and glasses were nowhere to be seen, with a big nasty scar on his face, and he sat bawling his eyes out. Gladiolus shook his head as he steps forward and embraces Ignis. The younger male fitting perfectly in his arms "Its going to be okay. Just trust me." Gladiolus says._

_Ignis just blubbers into Gladiolus's shoulder and the older man doesn't do or say anything against it. He knows a hurricane of emotions are brewing and spilling out of Ignis for he will never be the same again. Gladiolus gently rubs Ignis's back hoping that this would show him that he is there for him._

_"You're going to be okay. We're here for you. Okay, no matter what."_

And now as he sits there watching as Ignis's cries heighten Gladiolus couldn't help but put his hand on Ignis's giving it a slightly squeeze "Remember Iggy. We're here for you to lean on. Let us help you and be your pillar of strength. We know this is still a challenge for you and we just want you to know that you are the bravest and strongest out of all of us." Gladiolus explains "You had always been there for us, now let us be here for you."


End file.
